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I 'ASA I)I<:N A 



MOUNT LOWE RAILWAY. 



THE IDEAL HEALTH and PLEASU RE 
RESORT OF THE WORLD, 



/COPYRIGHT 1894.) 




i;V (i, WlIAinON -lAMKS, K. I!. A. 



(tcihtuI (tHii'cs: (inind Opera House I' lock, I'asailnia, CaL 
Los An^'eles Ollicc : Lns ,\ nudes Sate Deposit ami Trust Co.. Stiinson IJluck, Cnnier y 

Tljird and Spring Streets. 



I'RINTKK AND I'T-IU.ISH KK I'.T TUF 

Morxr LOWE ItAILWAV;— Moi'XTAtX (iFFICIv 

ECHO MorNTAIN, I.OS ANCKI.KS Co., CAL. 
IS'.M. 





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AND TlIK 

MOUNT LOWE RAILWAY. 



INTRODUCTORY. 

Tlie praises of Pasadena, have l)een siiii^i; in all t()nu;ues and in all hinds 
and her (dainis as a i)laee of })erinanent residence, or as a winter and siiumn'r 
resort for tourists and invalids are generally and gracefullv conceded. 
Hence it is not my intention in the following pages to make this a hand- 
book to Pasadena. I i)ropose merely to speak in general terms of the 
advantages she offers to all who come within her honndaries, whether for a 
short time or pernian(Mitly, and then to refer more specifically to those j)laces 
in Pasadena wdiich are connected — through Professor Lowe —with the Mount 
Lowe Railway. The railway itself is the cliief motive of the pamphlet. 
\'isitors desire to carry away a descri})tive reminder of the scenes and 
wonders they have enjoyed, and resith'nts often wish to send such an account 
to their Eastern friends. 

After a short raml)le around Pasailena, and a hrief sketch of the career 
of Professor T. S. ('. Lowe, to whom the world owes the Mount Lowe Railwav 
the remaining i)art of tlie pami)hlet is devoted to a (lescri])tion of the scenes 
witnessed in riding over this railway from Altadena to the highest summits 
of the Sierra ^Lulre range. Not only are the facts as they ap})eai' t(tdav 
presented, hut I have deemed it of inten^st to give a few ])ictoi-ial and 
descrii)tivc pages sliowing the road while under construction, and illustrating 
some of the dithcidtics whicdi have been so successfullv ovei'come. 

1 have written enthusiastically, hut in every case truthfullv. .Mv 
undisguised love for the Crown of the San (Jal)riel \'alley and her protectinu" 
Mother >L)untains is such, that I have yei to find either of them in ;i mood 
or asi)ect which fails to ])lease or delight me. From those who learn to love 
this region as 1 love it 1 am convinced that instead of receiving rebukes tbr 
undue enthusiasm and exaggeration of statement 1 shall hear the oft -repeated 
but never trite: "Not half has bt^en told." 




Iv'ho Mountain, Los Angeles Co., California. 



Mount Lowe Railway. 



PASADENA. 



No poet's dream, paiiitor's fancy, 
monk's ecstatic vision, musician's 
t^)ne-picture, opium eater's exalted 
phantasy; no scene in the long 
fabled, beautiful Atlantis, or glori- 
ous vista seen by enraptured 
})rophetic vision, ever surpnssed 
what the eye actually gazes upon, 
as it surveys Pasadena, the Crown 
of the Valley of San Gabriel, in 
South California. 

Artists, poets, authors, orators, 
travelers of all lands, as well as its 
cultured residents, alike beartri])ute 
to its enduring charm, fndeed, so 
perfectly satisfying to so many 
needs are the atmospheric, climatic, 
and geographic conditions of this 
city — this coronet of diamonds on 
the brow of the San Gabriel — that it 
is, and ever w\\\ be, world-famed. 

Several conditions enter into the 
determination of a city's beauty, and 
these are either found within itself 
or in its location. A city may be 
situated in a location devoid of at- 
tractiveness, and yet be full of (diarm 
and delight. Other cities, viewed 
in conjunction with their location 
and surroundings, are strikingly 
beautiful and full of picturestjue- 
ness, which, when closely examined, 
become repvdsive and <le{)ressing 
by their ugliness. Such a city is 
Constantinople. Seen from the 
Hos})horus one could imagine it the 
New Jerusalem let down from 
heaven, and a ht abode foi- the 
angels of God, but wlien one shut 



out from tlie suri'oundings of sea, 
mountain and verdure, -walks its 
streets, he wonders at the ease with 
which he was deceived, and leaves 
Constautino])le with his fondest 
illusions disi)elled. 

But Pasadena, both in location 
and within herself, is worthy of all 
the })raise bestowed upon Constan- 
tinopl(> as seen from the deck of the 
incoming vessel and before close 
contact has dispelled the first ini- 
})ressions. 

It is a city of une({ualled l)eauty. 
Standing in a commanding position, 
— the key city of the San Gabriel 
Valley — it has a large outlook over 
its sister cities and villages, and 
being almost immediately at the 
foot of the majestic Sierra Madre 
mountains, it thus enjoys close 
})roximity to marvelous and sub- 
lime scenery, and is protected from 
the storms and the winds of the 
noi'tli. 

Take a ride with me in Midiriiilci^ 
and here is what your own descrip- 
tion will l)e at the close of the day. 

In ev(M-v direction are trees; 
singly, in orchards, in groves, — trees 
of olive, guava, eucalyptus, lime, 

al lid, bay-wood, persimmon, 

pomegranate, cypress, fig, apricot, 
peppci-, umbrella, peach, pear, 
prune, lemon and orange. The 
leaves are in every shade of green, 
the intense green of the olive almost 
black, when hidden from the sun- 
shine. 1'he ajiricots contribute 




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.MOUNT LOWE RArLWAV. 



])ink and white blossoms and whis- 
per to us the secret of their exquisi- 
ness, — "the angels come and kiss 
us with the first dawnings of the 
morning." The eucalyptus and 
orange dazzle us with their bold 
beauty, for the one shows two or 
three different varieties of leaves, 
and the other presents blossom, 
green and ripe fruit on the same 
tree. And the peculiar richness of 
the groups of orange trees, who 
can comprehend, not having seen ? 
Midas has been here, and his touch 
has made millions of green balls 
become golden, and they hang sus- 
l)ended amongst the marriage blos- 
soms and leaves. 

The granate-api)le and the scarlet- 
fruited pepper tree stand side by 
side with the cypress, poplar, palm 
and cedar of Lelianon, whilst from 
yonder half-dozen magnolias the 
morning seductively draws a rich 
perfume, which a passing zephyr 
laughingly wafts around us for our 
enjoyment. The l)reeze awakens 
the bamboos and pampas grass 
which deferentially wave their white 
plumes in our presence. 

Where are we ? Surely in Japan, 
for here, with that peculiar orange 
redness of fruit, that cannot he 
mistaken, is the ])ersimmon, and, 
land of surprises and imagination, 
it is h'lc-d-trlc with an Arabian 
cactus. 

No! It cannot be Japan, for yon- 
der on the crest of the majestic 
mountains are the pines, firs and 
spruces of Norway and Sweden, and 
here are the yuccas of Mexico, the 
bananas of the Phillipine Islands, 
the guava and loipiat of the semi- 
tropics, the oranges of S{)ain, the 
lemons of Portugal, the limes of 
Horneo and the dates of Turkey. 



A strange land, indeed, where the 
llora is so diversified, and yet in 
nearly every case it all flourishes as 
well as if it were in its native soil 
and environment. 

Then consider the atmosphere! 
Who can describe it? Pure, clear, 
serene, without a haze or a tremor, 
it reminds one of that ''most pel- 
lucid air," through which Euripides 
describes the Athenians as "ever 
delicately marching." 

And the climate! In other parts 
of the world latitude is the chief 
determining factor of climate, Init 
in South California it seems to be 
altitude. For here in March 1894, 
in the San Gabriel valley, we are 
amidst ever-blooming fragrant flow- 
ers, whilst in the Sierra Madre 
mountains, thirty minutes ride 
away, snow covers the ground and 
sways the branches of the trees 
down to the earth. 

Now look at the homes of Pasa- 
dena. No city in the world ever 
had clearer evidence of "foreordina- 
tion" as a residence city. It is 
l)uilt upon a site rendered pictur- 
esque by the Arroyo Seco and the 
undulating slo})es of the foot-hills, 
and tlins l)y its diversified levels 
absolutely banislies monotony. Its 
residences, of course, are various, 
(•<)m])rising the simple cottage of 
the laborer aiid the ])alace uf the 
wealthy, l)ut all are homes of fra- 
grance and beauty. 

The })onrest jjcasant can vie with 
the millionaire in the profusion of 
his floral treasures, and the sweet 
odors tliat tbe sun extracts from 
these fb)wers, comljined with the 
balmy richness distilled from a 
tliousand shrul)S and trees, give 
health as well a< deliubt to tlie 




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MOUNT LOWE RAILWAY. 



senses of those wlio dwell within 
their reach. 

Prof. Ijowe owns a most beanti- 
fnl residence, occupying a com- 
manding situation on Orange Grove 
Avenue, in grounds, thirteen acres 
in extent, ornamented with a large 
variety of rare and exotic flowering 
))lants, shrubs, and trees. In the 
library are numy war mementos, 
photographs, etc., of the exciting 
times when Prof. Lowe skimmed 
al)0ve the cloiuis and through the 
air, w^hile "shot and shell" \mv- 
sued him from the foe beneath. 
There is the autograph letter from 
President Abraham Lincoln to 
Lientenant-General Scott asking 
him to give further investigation 
to Professor Lowe's balloon plans. 
There are diplomas and certificates 
in number, — from the leading scien- 
tific societies of the world — and 
gold and silver medals of honor, 
amongst others one from the French 
Institute. 

The ])ublic buildings of Pasadena 
are a wonder and a surprise even 
to those who are used to the mag- 
nificent structures of large Eastern 
cities. Its Public Library, though 
not a large structure, is, architect- 
urally, a model building. 

The Hotel ({reen. Hotel Ray- 
mond and Hotel Painter, are build- 
ings that will bear comparison with 
tlie most renowned hotel structures 
of the world. The Green, especially, 
is Ihc pri(h' <if Pasadenans. It was 
enlai'ged in 1X98-4 l)y Col. (!. (i. 
Green, its enterprising owner, who 
expended over $300,000 in iin]>rov- 
ing, refurnisliing, etc.. and it is now- 
recognized as one of the lea<liiig 
hotels of the State. 

The Raymond is too well-known 
tiiroughout the tourist world to 



need description. It occupies an 
elevated site on the Raymond hill, 
which has been made into a perfect 
bower of beauty by trees, shrul)s 
and Howcrs. 

The Painter is a less })retentious 
structure, but its site -near Alta- 
dena — affortls a beautiful outlook 
over the valley. 

The school houses — both pul)lic 
and private — togetlier with the 
churclies, add great architectural 
beauty to this tlower-embowcred 
city. All the public school build- 
ings are model structures, and the 
Throo}) Polytechnic Institute, — 
founded b}^ the late lamented 
'"Father" Throoj), — has two magnifi- 
cent buildings, es})ecially designed 
and e(iuipped fov the manual, as 
well as mental, training of the 
young peo])le of l)oth sexes who are 
fortunate enough to be able to 
attend tliem. 

The bank l)uildings, Board of 
Trade, and other l)Usiness blocks 
all betoken a city of meti'opolitan 
character, and are indexes to the 
connuercial ])rosperousness of the 
connuunity. 

The (irand OjKra House P)lock 
is the graink^st without (|Uestioi> 
in Pasadena. It is a nuiguiti- 
cent structure, and is owned by 
Professor Lowe. '^I'he ( )pera House 
is the finest west of the ^Lssissippi 
ami is managed by liis son, 'J'had- 
(hnis Lowe. Jr. Tliis magnificent 
block was purchased l>y Professor 
Powe dui'iug the time of the de- 
pression which followed the South 
('alif>i"uia liooin some years ago, 
and when its original owners were 
so discouraged that they were about 
to tear it down and rebuild it in the 
form of houses or stores in another 
portion of the city. Rut. with that 




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MOUNT LOWE HAILWAV. 



keen foresitiht. which many j)e()}ilc 
designate faith in the future pros- 
perity of South California, Professor 
Lowe saw that the time would 
surely come when to have taken 
down this Imilding w'ould he re- 
garded as a jiuhlii- calamity, hence 
its })urchase, to remain as one of 
the objects of which Pasadena'-; 
citizens are proud. 

In this block are the offices of 
the Mount Lowe Railway, together 
with the work-shops and stores, etc., 
of the Lowe Manufacturing Com- 
pany in which the radiating gas 
stoves, and other of Professor LoAve's 
inventions in connection with the 
gas industry uvv manufactured. 

The limited sjtace of this article 
forbids more than the briefest 
mention of the other South Cali- 
fornia enterprises with which Pro- 
fessor Lon'e is connected. Coming 
to Los Angeles in the year 1888, he 
entered the field of competition, 
and succeeded in giving the inhab- 
itants of that city a better quality 
gas, at a much less price than they 
hitherto had been paying. He is 
now the largest individual stock- 
holder in the Los Angeles (Jas 
Lighting Company, and also the 
largest individual owner in the 
Pasadena Gas Works. 

In the same year, he organized 
the Citizens' Bank in Los Angeles, 
and was for some tinii- its President, 
until his arduous duties as Presi- 
dent of the INIouut Lowe Railway 
Company demanded more of his 
time, so that he resigned, but he 
is still the Vice President and one 
of the Directors. He is the Presi- 
dent of the Los Angeles Safe Deposit 
& Trust Company, owning a major 
portion of the stock, and he is also 
one of the Directors of the C(tlum- 



hia Savings Piank, of which T. 1). 
Stimson is President. In addition 
to this, he was one of the organizers 
and is a large stockholder in the 
Los Angeles Ice Manufacturing 
Company. 

Considering these facts, and the 
still more important one that it is 
to his indomital)le energy ar.d me- 
chanical genius the w'orld is indebted 
for the ]Mount Lowx^ Railway, it is 
natural that consideral)le interest 
should center around the ])ersonal- 
ity of Professor Lowe. 

It is not my purpose here to pre- 
sent a biographical sketch of the 
distinguished aeronaut, scientific 
inventor and mountain railway 
builder, but simply to call attention 
to some of the imp<n-tant services 
he has rendered mankind, — the not- 
able enterprises besides the Moun- 
tain Railway with which his name 
is inseparably connected. 

There are four things from which 
it will ever be impossible to dis- 
sever Professor lA)we's name, for 
they owe their existence to his 
l)i-ilHant and diverse genius. These 
are. 

First : He originated and estab- 
lished the first practical system of 
aerotiautic observations foi- war 
])ur|)oses, and he was also the lirst 
to utilize the telegraj)h for establish- 
ing communication l)etween the 
earth and the l)alloon in the air. 
Pv this means he made it possible 
to discover the movements of the 
enemy and give accurate informa- 
tion of them at the exact time they 
were being made. The story of 
how he became interested in the- 
lialloon is interestingly told in the 
lecture delivered by Professor fjowe 
before the Unity Clul) of Los An- 
geles, -Linuary iMth, 1S<)4. 




PROFESSOR T. S. C LO'^V 2. 



]\[OUNT LOWE RAILWAY. 



"From living in higli altitudes, I 
had ol)served that there are often 
very different air currents in the 
valleys from those which exist in 
the upper atmos})here. From the 
recognition of this simple fact, it 
occurred to me that if a system of 
ohservations could he inaugurated 
l)y means of which the varying at- 
)nospheric conditicms existing in 
different parts of the country could 
all be telegraphed to a competent 
person in Washington and then 
carefully collated, weather forecasts 
could then be made from them and 
telegrai)hically distrilnited through- 
out the country, to the great ad- 
vantage of our agricultural and 
other interests. To the agriculturist 
these forecasts would give notice of 
weather changes, which, if he knew 
were to occur, would be of great 
benefit to him. To tlie marine in- 
terests these forecasts would be 
more important still, for, giving 
notice of threatened storms, vessels 
would thus be prevented from leav- 
ing shore at times which might 
]>rove disastrous. 

My idea was the organizing of a 
Weather Bureau exactly aft(M' the 
plan now followed by the govern- 
ment, and I might here remark 
that it was owing t;t my investi- 
gations and the laying of my ))lans 
before (Jen. Albert Myer, CWwi 
Signal oificer of the army, at var- 
ious times during my war service, 
as well as after the war closed, that 
at least, in a great measure, hasten- 
ed the establishing of the liurcan, 
and I believe myself to l)e the hrst 
to suggest such a bureau for the 
making of weather forecasts. 

For some time I continued my 
ex])eriments studying the currents 
v)n tlif surface of the earth, but 



soon l)eing desirous of investigating 
the upper air currents, which I 
could see by watching the various 
strata of clouds, were often diverse 
from the earth currents, the bal- 
loon occurred to my mind as the 
(uily possilde vehicle for making 
the necessary investigations. 

Accordingly, in the year 1858, 1 
constructed a balloon and made a 
number of ascensions and the result 
of these was that I discovered the 
existence of an up}ier air cur- 
rent which invariably moved east- 
ward, with but slight variations, no 
matter how diverse the surface cur- 
rents might be. I then opened up 
communication with Prof. Jose])h 
Henry, of the Smithsonian Insti- 
tution, hoping through him to be 
al)le to interest the government to 
aid in the carrying out of my jdan. 
As soon as the results of my exper- 
iments were made known to him, 
he became very much interested. 
A number of merchants also of the 
eastern cities were equally inter- 
ested in the work of the balloon, tor 
as in those days there was no elec- 
tric telegraph communication un- 
der the ocean between this com dry 
and Europe, as there is now, the 
merchants were exceedingly anx- 
ious to find a methotl of tranporta- 
tion which would convey im{);),tant 
mercantile news ahead of the 
steamers. 

Personally, I was not much in- 
terested in the object of tlie mer- 
chants except in as far as it might 
produce means to enable mo to pur- 
sue my further investigations. At 
the same time, I was desirous of 
testing the air currents over the 
ocean to see whctlier the same con- 
ditions existed there as over the 
bind. 



MOUNT LOW'K KAILW'AV. 



I'i'tif. llfiirv, lidwcvcr, witli llint 
large kin(lly-licail('(lii»'s> tluit char- 
acterized the man, diil not ■\visli tn 
eiicourau'c a iirojed wliich a|i|)carcil 
to him and others to he i)erilous to 
tlie lives of tlio'^e engaged in it. So 
he advised tliat I go West with my 
halhxtii, make an ascent wlien the 
earth currents were hh)wing st rongly 
to tlie west, and tlien, if wlien 
reaching tiie upper currenls I sailed 
across the continent east, tlie exist- 
ence of this eastward current 
whi(di I (daimed did exist would he 
sutliciently demonstrated to justify 
his urging the (lovermneid to aid 
nie in my Atlantic experiments. 
I had alr(\idy constructed for this 
Atlantic trip the largest aerostadt 
ever made, and winch never since 
has l)een approached in size or 
e(]ui])nietd , and with which 1 had 
safely lifted tVoni the earth, includ- 
ing its ow'n weight. Hi tons, so that 
I was thoroughly convinced that I 
coidd safely convey across the At- 
lantic all the materials I required 
foi- comfort and safety. Not only 
was this balloon to carry ample in- 
struments, provisions for the crew, 
and all the implements, etc.. re- 
(|uired for observation, and the 
manipulation of the halloon, hut 
also a full-rigged life-iioat schooner 
huilt of light steed plates with air 
tight comj)artments. 

Acceding to Prof. Heni'v's re(iuest, 
however, I left this large halloon 
and taking my smaller ex]iei'i- 
mental halloon went to Cincinnati, 
and for about a month waited for 
conditions to be exactly as I desired 
before making the ascent. Tlie 
newsjtapers took a great deal of in- 
terest in the jiroject, some of tliem 
speaking in the most favorable 
terms of the work, and others 



laughingly referring toil. At last 
the conditions were highly favoi'- 
ablc for the experiment, the surface 
cnrrents i\i(iving ra|)idly westwai'd, 
and accordingly after learning liy 
t(degra|)h that the same conditions 
existed so f;ir cast as Washington, 
I made the ascent at .') o'clock of 
the luf.rning of A])ril 'iOth, lS(il. 
Some of the newspapei's amusingly 
stated after I had ascended that the 
balloon whicdi had gone up for the 
purpose of demonstrating the ex- 
istence of an upper aii- current 
\vhi(di invai'ialily flowed eastward, 
when last seen, was rapidlv sailing 
west. Ihd wdien later in the morn- 
ing at daylight, a telegra))hic dis- 
|tat(di was seid all ovei- the countrv 
from Falmouth, Ky., saying that a 
large lialloon had been seen high 
up in the air I'apidly moving east- 
wai-d,all who saw the dispatch and 
knew of my discovery w'ere con- 
vinced of the correctness of mv 
former deduct ions. 

In crossing over the Alleghanies 
a deep cui-i-ent of air llowing be- 
tween these mountains and the 
l)lue Kidge drew the i)alloon 
slightly southward, although had 
it been sufficiently large so I could 
have kept high enough to I'emain 
in the undisturbed liow of the east- 
waril cm-|-enT. this surface disturb- 
ance would not have affected my 
movements, 'idle I'esult was that I 
hmded in South Carolina, a short 
distance from the line of North 
(Carolina nearly in a due east direc- 
tion from Cincinnati. 

In crossing over \'irginia 1 could 
distinctly heai' the caimonading 
which told the story that tlie \'ir- 
ginians were celebrating the fact of 
their secession. South Carolina 
had alreadv gone out of the I'nion. 



MOUNT LOWE RAILWAY. 



and the descent of my ballcon 
caused a great deal of excitement, 
it being only eight days after tlie 
attack on Fort Sumter. 1 was 
looked upon as a Federal spy, :ind 
was arrested and locked u]) in 
Columbia jail. Indeed, it is as- 
serted on good authority that I was 
the first prisoner of war captured by 
the South during tlic civil war. 

Not desiring to be sliot as a spy, 
I sent for the presi(l(mt of tlie 
South Carolina college, and be 
satisfactorily exi)lained to the au- 
thorities that be was familiar 
with the pur])()sc of my l)all<)on ex- 
periments, which at that time had 
nothing to do with the army, and at 
the solicitation of himself and fa- 
culty. T was released. Mayor ])oat- 
right of Columbia then accorded 
me the freedom of the city and a 
letter l)earing the city seal asking a 
safe conduct for me through "the 
Confederate states of North Amer- 
ica." The incidents for the next 
live days and nights were as inter- 
esting as any in the whole course 
of my life. I heard n nnniher of 
speeches against the Cnioii; 1 saw 
the trains loade(l with Union fam- 
ilies going west to get out of the 
Confederacy, as all communication 
to the north was cut off by Con- 
federate forces at Manassas Jniic- 
tion, and the silence that generally 
prevailed was sli-iking in the e.\- 
treme. 

As 1 passed tliroiigli 'rennessee 1 
leai'ned, through niean^ that would 
1)6 (juite interesting to relate had 1 
time, the fact that that state had 
gone out of the Cnion in secret 
session. This 1 coiuinunicated to 
President J.,incoln two weeks befoiv 
it became authentically known tVoiu 
the state. 



On my arrival at Cincinnati I 
found people very much interested 
in the result of my experiments, 
but I was desirous of urging on my 
Atlantic trij), and was both sur- 
prised and disappointed when I re- 
ceived a dis})atch from Secretary 
Chase saying that President Lin- 
oln desired to consult with me in- 
regard to organizing a balloon ser- 
vice for the U. S. army. Prof. 
Henry and the friends upon whom 
I had relied for assistance to carry 
out my Atlantic plans positively 
refused to aid me further until the 
country was at ])eace. They argued 
that, as the country desired and 
nee<led my services, my own per- 
sonal plans ought to lie subservient 
to the -.vishes of the government. 
Accordingly I went to Washington, 
consulted with President Lincoln 
and the military autboritie:-, and 
the result was that through the aid 
of the President 1 tinally organized 
the Aeronautic Corps of the V . S. 
army. 

I have devoted considerable s})ace 
to this (juotation from Professor 
Lowe's lecture, but the important 
historical facts therein contained, 
being thus ))resented for the first 
tiuK^, affoid ample justification. To 
resume the brief enumeration of bis 
labors: 

Serin/)/ : lie invented, made and 
put into successful o])eration tlie 
(irst })raetical ice nuiking machine 
ever manufactured, and yet, so far 
was he in advance of the times that 
bis oi-iginal patents bad expii-ed 
before the lee Machine came into 
general use llis machin(% how- 
ever, was as perfe(;t in })rinciple and 
mechanical construction as any of 
those made in the })resent day and 
was as successful in the manu- 



MOrXT LOWK i;.\ii>\\A^- 



facturo of ice :in<l artiticial rcfritier- 
atioii. And it was because lie tliiis 
clearly (leiiuaist rated the feasihility 
of this inveiilion that ot her iiiami- 
factiirers followed in his wake and 
patented what was already, to him, 
an old story. 

Third: He originated, and })ut 
into successfid operation the tirst 
practical nictliod of pro(lucin,<i; 
illuminating water gas which is 
now used all ovei' I1h> civilized 
world. Fully two-thii-fls of all the 
gas made in tlu^ United States is 
made by this })roc(>ss, and a refer- 
ence to any of the (Jas Journals, 
whether of the past or })resent tim(\ 
will show by the constant allusions 
to the "Lowe Process," and tlie 
and the many tributes paid to the 
inventor's ability and skill, how 
valuable and im|)ortant his inven- 
tions in this regard are esteemed. 

F(ni rtli : The three above men- 
tioned beneficial inventions entitc^l 
Professor Lowe to rank a^ a man 
who has lived for the good of his 
fell(^w-men, !>ut I feel safe in saying 
that his fiairth and last work, will 
})rove of greater benefit to mankind 
in general than any or all of the 
otliers. To him th<^ world owes the 



l']|<'ctrie IJailway system of Moun- 
tain climbing wiiicli will entii-elv 
displace I he (}]d and caimbei'some 
locomotive -and -cog -wheel -metlicxl 
of reaching Mountain heights. He 
has thus opened u{) to the easy (.ai- 
joyment of thousands, what they, 
through i)hysical inability would 
never have been able to see, and 
thus by bi'inging them in contact 
with Nature's secret recesses, where 
vigor, strength and health are ke])t 
in abundant store has entitled him- 
self to the gratitude of many whose 
lives will be lengthened through his 
labors. 

These four great in ventions un- 
(jucstionably mark epochs in their 
})articular lines as important as 
the discoveries of (V)pernicus in 
astronomy, Newton in gi'avitation, 
liinmieus in botany or Stevenson in 
locorju)tive engineering,for they will 
nnquestionalily remain as the liiu' 
of demarkation se])arating the old 
from the new. And it is iu)t only 
just to remend)er that, no matter 
what improvenu'uts or alteratiotis 
may ))e uuide, the tirst principles 
originate(l in the active and prolific 
brain of Professoi- T. S. ('. Lowe. 



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Fac-simile of the aut()gra])h card giv(Mi to i'rof. T. S. ('. Lowe by 
Lincoln, asking Lieut, (ieneral Scott to see Prof. Lowe ''once 
t liis balloon. 



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Up to The 3ierra Hadre Hountains. 



What i< tlip setting of tlic .'x- 
• luisilc picture I have attempted in 
llie t'oi-e<j;(iiiiti- pa^es to desciihe? 

Pasadena has a haekKi'<"""l "* 
heautv, ulory and majesty sehhuii 
equalleil. This hael;-j:rouiid is a 
jieeiiess raii<^e of mountains tlie 
A])penines. the Pasadena Ali)S, and, 
as its name implies, it is a shelter- 
ing motlier, ]>roteet inu its sun-ldssed 
and Ho\v(M--he(leeked garden of the 
Lord from tlie stern winds whieli 
)ih)\v so penetratingly in other 
regions, Pietures(iue and hold it 
stanils, seamed with deep eatiyons, 
wooded gorges and preei})itous (diffs, 
Its serrate(l summits h)()k near 
enough for us to rea(di them hy 
walking in an hour, for the trans- 
})arent atniosphei'e deceives us. Its 
])eaks are higher than the highest 
peaks of the White Mountains, and 
we are instinctively seized with an 
uncontrollal)l(^ desiri; to scale them 
and look down u]>on the fair ]iano- 
rama heneath. 

'Contrary to many of tlie moun- 
tain views afforded the transcontin- 
ental traveler, this semi-crescent 
swee]> of fifty miles in length, 
approximating in its adjacent 
ranges an elevation of ten or eleven 
thousand feet, fulfills one's ideal of 
what a mountain range should he. 
The sunnnits are often rohed in the 
loftv splendor of snow-white man- 
tles contrasting strongly with the 
permam'ut dark evergreen foi'ests 
of the central ranges. " 

This (diain of mountains runs 
transversely across Southern Cali- 
fornia, near the ;!4th parallel of 
latitude, .\long its southei'n foot- 
hills are the llourishing orange 



groves of the l>eautil'ul cities of Los 
Angele-. I'asadena. San (lahriel, 
Monrovia, Duarle, Azusa, i'omona, 
Cucamonga, Kialto, San liernar- 
dino and lledlands. A little fui'- 
ther south, hut within view of the 
mountains, are the ))rolilic orchards 
of the (Mjually heaiitiful Riverside, 
Arlington, l'uent<', ()i-ange, Santa 
Ana, Anaheim. Fullei'ton, liivera 
and Wdiittier. 

The Los Angeles Terndnal Mail- 
way directiv coimects with the 
Mount Lowe llailway at Altadena 
Junction, where, surrounded hy 
orange groves and flower gardens, 
the depot stands. The accomitany- 
ing engraving shows the tem})()rary 
method r.secl for conveying Prof. 
Lowe's guests dui'ing tlie period of 
consti'uction. The freight-car has 
an immediate hacdcground of orange 
trees, while in the distance, on the 
right of the engraving can dimly 
he seen the grade of the (ircat 
Cahle Iixdineon Ivdio Mountain. 

l)Ut now, well-e(iuipi)ed passenger 
cars, fitted up with tlie most ap- 
proved electric power speed up 
Lake Avenue, and in a few minutes 
I'lnd jjassengers at the ''White 
Chariots" of the (ireat Cahle In- 
(dine, whi(di latter has ti'uthfully 
lieen designated "the most wonder- 
ful railway of the world. '' 

Hen' at Altadena, also, are 
located the ga,> engines, working 
the electric dynamos whicdi su})i)ly 
power for operating the Trolley 
Pvoad to Ivuhio Amphitheater. 
These consist of two ()()-horse-i)ower 
and one lOO-horse-jiower gas en- 
gines, with a capacity much larger 
than tlieir s})e(Mfied amount. 



M(M'XT LOWK KAII.WAV. 
'Bound for the Summit" before the completion of the Road. 



LcaviiiL!; Altadcnn .luiictioii the 
electric cai' heads directly \\>v the 
iiKinntaiiis, ii|. Lake Avenue tni- 
alidut a mile, then, crossing the 
high mesa ujKin which tlie poppies 
— f/tr ('()jH( (Ic Oni of tlie S])aniar(ls 
— grctw in profusion, enters Iluliitt 
("anvon. This mesa is an lii-toi'ie 
spot having been named l)y tlie 
sailors of the pioneer navigator, 
("ahrillo, Cape Floral. The llaming 
and gorgeous poppies reflecting the 
hrilliant sunlight made a spectatde 
of dazzling gold which was (dearly 
seen sixty miles out at sea, — hence 
the name. 

As one looks up from this starting 
])oint to Echo Mountain, -crowned 
hv several substantial buildings, 
the name, mountain, seems a mis- 
nomer, for it a))pears only an abut- 
ment to the mountains. And al- 
though so close, it is almost im- 
jiossible to realize that it is sepa- 
rated, except in one s})ot, from the 
main range l)v a canyon a thousand 
feet deep and half a mile wide. 

Now the car enters Rubio Canyon. 
At its mouth it is broad, and 
though rugged, its slopes are neither 
im])osing nor precipitous ; but after 
crossing the first bridge, the scen- 
ery b(^gins rapidly to change. This 
l)ridge is built in a substantial 
mamier, of the same sized timbers 
as those used in the bridges of the 
Santa Fe system, so that we jour- 
ney along without the slightest 
sense of insecurity or danger. 
Kleven of these l)i-idges are crossed 
ii. the two and a half miles' ride to 
ixuiiio pavilion. The road passes 



through one cut in the solid giMuite 
I'ock, which had to he made hv men 
suspended hy ropes from al)ove. 
Here, dangling in mid-aii-, thev 
drilled the holes, and, tilling them 
with powdei-, wei-c drawn up liefore 
the explosion took place. Hence, 
we ;ire not surprised to find our- 
selves in romantic defiles, the slopes 
growing steeper and more (doscdy 
confined as we ascend. Our road 
curves and twines around, leading 
us souKtimes to wonder where we 
can possibly be going. The car 
again and again seems heading 
directly for tlie edge of the preci- 
l)ice. but, at the danger-point, it 
easily slips around the jutting crags 
and (dind)s merrily on. 

The sides of the canycjii ar(> 
richly (doihed with variegated 
shrubs, flowers and trees, enlivened 
by hundreds of the stately and 
lieautiful "yuccas,'' " Spanish-l)ay- 
onets," whose waxen and and bell- 
like white flowers, reflecting the 
brilliant sunlight suggested to the 
imaginative Spanish priests the 
poetic name — Candlestick of our 
Lord. 

These, and many other sights, 
were thoroughly enjoyed by the 
})arty pictured on the opposite page, 
who were ''bound for the sununit" 
before the completion of the rail- 
way. The construction trails over 
whicdi they rode to Echo Mountain 
are now permanently closed and 
the only ■■o])en sesame" to the 
grand and glorious nature pano- 
rama exhibited from Echo Moun- 
tain is the (Jreat Cable Incdine. 




Among the Haples and Sycamores in Rubio Canyon. 



MorXT LOWK KAIhW.W. 
Among the Haples and Sycamores in Riihio Canyon. 



I imiH'diatcly on ciitrfiii'!; Iiuliio 
("aiiyiMi the visitnr is clianiicd and 
surpriscMl wifli the richness of tlic 
verdure, tlie trees, shruhs and fiow- 
ci-s tliat urcet his eye. From the 
vaUey tlie iriountains seemed har- 
ren, now we learn tliat tliey are 
fairlv covered witli mountain ma- 
lio^anv, lihu', hollv, and other 
cliai)])aral, whilst in thfv'deeper can- 
yons ])ines. spruces > hays, maples, 
sycamores and live oaks llourisli 
in larixc numhers. Ferns, mosses 
and trailinij,- vines in profusion and 
variety cover the rocks, whilst the 
more delicate species — 

"'riie witching tangle of tlu' niaiilcn-hrtir, 
Tlie sweet grace of the gold and silver ferns, 
'l"he nodding eoffee-fern with beauty rare" 

seek shelter in hidden nooks, whose 
l)erfect solitude is only penetrated 
hy the lover and the enthusiast. 

As the roatl in Rul)io Canyon 
curves it affords many Vx'autit'ul 
views of the valley we are leavin<j; 
heliind, hut none so ricli and per- 
fect as the one we get from Lookout 
point. Here, the peculiar con- 
formation of the canyon presents 
the scene helow in a natural fi-anie- 
work of ^ray rock, i'i(di trees and 
azure sky. 

Look at it! 

Orchards, vineyards, grain fields, 
eucalvptus groves, "■ walnut walks, 
fig tree lanes," i>arks, gardens and 
grounds. Mansions of {)rincely 
creation, with architecture horrowed 
from the world's best models, sur- 



rounded ,.r lielVoii1( d li\' lawn and 
terrace, adoiiied with ^t.iluaiv. 
sliruhs and ilowcrs. from everv 
(|uarter of the glohe. Streets, Tuade 
into gardens hy red-fruited ]>e|ipei-. 
graceful umhrella and oriental 
palm, whilst here, and there, and 
everywhere a I'c cottages fairlv 
smotherc(l in a profusion of roses. 
One of (iodV choicest mosaics, 
made instinct w it h the life of His 
children. And while the eye is 
drinking this superli scene in to 
the t"ull, exclamations of delight 
and sur])rise arrest our attention. 
We turn around and there, in full 
view, is Hotel Huhio, the Music 
Hall and the (ireat Cable Incline. 




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MorNT l.OWK r^AlLWAV 



HOTEL RUBIO. 



Hotel Kuliio is :i most iinitiuc 
structure. It is built in the iieart 
of Rul»io Canyon, and aliove it is 
the immense jilatform lir;(l«,Mn!j; the 
<';ni\dn on wiiieh st;iii(ls tlie Music 
Hall, pronounced hy tlie Ciievalier 
<le Konski, pianist to the l^>mperor 
of (iermany, "tin' mo.~t perfect 
building to phiy in possible to be 
<'onceived.'' 

The dining room is elegant and 
commodious, its length being about 
110 feet by ."lo feet broad. There 
is not a )»illar or post to obstruct 
the view in this well-pro{)ortione(l 
room, and its beauty is enhanced 
by being finished in the natural 
woods. Pure mountain water from 
the celebrated Maple Springs is 
used on the tables and for all culi- 
nary purposes. It is a chemically 
pure water and aids digestion in a 
remarkable manner. 

During the seasons when evening 
trains are run, whether on special 
occasions, tri-weekly or each even- 
ing, superbly illustrated lectures of 
travel are given in the Music Hall. 
Concerts, balls, parties, and other 
entertainments are also often given, 
and thus every provision is made 
for the pleasure of the guests. 

Hotel Rubio and the Music Hall 
are in the (Ireat Rocky Amphi- 
theater, a natural basin, formed of 
the towering mountain sides which 
slope back and up towards the sky. 
It is a romantic, beautiful and 
picturesque spot, "i'iOO feet above 
.sea level. 

At Hotel lvul>io the electric trol- 
lev cars of the Mount Lowe Kail- 
ivav from Altadena .Junction con- 



nect witli the '' White Chariot-'" of 
the (ireat Cable Incline for l*]cho 
Mountain and the higher ranges of 
.Mount Lowe. 

Stan. ling on Kul)io I'latform. the 
visitor gets his first full view of the 
(Ireat Cable Incline. From the 
valley even from cities as far 
away as Los Angeles he may have 
seen the electric lights, which at 
night illumimite this mountain 
railway and show its steep grade, 
but now he stands before it and 
takes in its nnirvelous features in 
one view. At least he imagines he 
does. But his view is Ity no means 
complete. Cnly by riding over it 
can all its wondrousness lie com- 
})rehended. He will then be sur- 
])rised to learn that his view from 
below only comprised about two- 
thirds of its height, the angle of 
inclination being such that the 
fifty-eight and forty-eight per cent, 
grades are not visible from the foot. 
He will stand and watch the cars 
ascending and descending —almost 
after the fashion of "'the old oaken- 
buckets" of l»ovhood's days, and 
see with wonder the readiness with 
which the cars turn out at the mid- 
way point, without any switchman 
to guide them, thus solving the 
engineer's ])rol)lem of si.xty years 
or more, viz: how to make two cars 
pass on the same track without 
frogs, switches, etc. He will listen 
to the unanimous exclamations of 
delight the returning passengers 
give exi)ression to. and then, as 
every other visitor has done, will 
tak(> his seat and soar upwards in 
a manner he never before had con- 
ceived Jiossible. 




Prof. Lowe and Guests at Suspended Boulder in Rubio Canyon. 



MOTNT LOWK IIAI LWA V. 

On the Suspended Boulder in Ruhio Canyon. 

'I'lic Mount l.owc K:iil\v;iy was lii'st Intir hkmiIIis it was i.jciicd. 

not opciu'd to tlie pulilic until 'I'ucs- viz.: from .lul\- I to the immI of 

(lay, July 4, ISi);', l)ut on Saturday, OctolxT. and many oftlusf visitors 

-Inly l,a select uumlicr ol'tlu'dis- have r<']i('a1cd the (rip ton or a 

tiniruislu'd citizens of Los Angeles dozen times. its Icaut'es orow 

and Pasadena were invited to in- n:ore altracti\c the more one l:c- 

spect the work accomplished, a nd, comes familiar with them, and, 

at't<'r a careful and extended sur- therefore, not only will ii he a jilace 

vey of the electric road, the (ireat for tourists to visit, hut it will also 

C'ahle Incline and the plaid< walks lie a jioptdar resoil foi' the local 

and staircases which render ihc jiopulation, which is prosperous 

heauties of RubioCanyon accessihle, enough to ci'eate a demand for .ucli 

rrcsident f>owe entertained his a high-class pleasure re.-ort and 

guests with an elaiioi'ate hancpiet at adecpiately sustain it. 

Hotel Kuhio. The inijiortance of tlu^ figures 

The accompanying engraving is ahove given and the I'henomenal 

made from a photograph which success they record will he observed, 

happily caught Prof. Lowe stand- when it is considered that the ojieii- 

ing on the Suspended jjoulder, ad- i.ig of the road took jilace with foui- 

dressing liis guests. )> ttent intluences at work against 

This Boulder is but one of many it. viz.: 1. Tlie tinancial depre.^- 

objects of interest in Pubio Canyon, sion was at its worst and peoi)le 

including Fern (J lens, Moss (Irot- were afraid <»f spending money for 

toes. Peculiar Stone Formations, anything but necessities. 2. A 

(irand C'hasms, Ribbon Rock, Tha- large number of the local popula- 

lehaha and nine other ex(piisitely tion had already gone to the World's 

beautiful Water-Falls. Fair. D. Many others had availed 

■lust below the Suspended l)Oul- themselves of the reduced railroad 

der is Mirror Lake. Jt extends rates to visit their friends in the 

across the complete width of the Fast; and, 4. The exodus from 

<'anyon, whicli somewhat narrows at the cities and valley towns had al- 

this point, — and reaches for (piite a ready taken place to tlie seaside, 

little distance, being bridged by the Hundreds of families had located 

)>lank-walk leading to the (irand there who would have preferred to 

Cha^m and Thalehaha Falls. The "^P^'!'^^ =' lu.rtion of their summer 

. ., n ,• I ^^ ^ holi(hivs in the mountains had the 

ex(iuisite reriections of the trees, i " i 

' . ' railwav been m operation. 

shrubs and towering rocks, together rp, " . . .i , , • 

'^ ' ^ I hese facts are thus |>resented in 

with the electric lights iuA Jai)an- ,„.aer that the success the road has 

ese lanterns at night, give to Mir- attained may l)e understood, and, 

ror Lake an indescribable cliarm :il^<'' that the expectations as to its 

which alwavs fa-cinates and at- ^'^'^^^'"^ prosperity when conditions 

. , ' are more favorable, times im])rove(l, 

and the })eo}>le have bei'ome accus- 

Few places, if any, of natural p.med to visiting it, may not be 

interest, have so rapidly bounded regai-ded as exaggerations, but as 

into the favor of the i>ublic. Twenty the legitimate deductions of reason 

thousand ))ersous visited it in the from accomi)lished fads. 



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Great Cable Incline of Mount Lowe Railway. 



MOHN r l,()\VK IIAILW AV 
GREAT CABLE INCLINE. 



This iii;wv('ll(»i".s piece of rnili'ond 
engineeriiij^ has caUed forth the 
nnstinte(l praist* of many eniineiit 
eiitfiiieers. The scientific press has 
heen unaniiuous in expatiating 
upon its nnicjue featuces and desig- 
nates it ''the greatest mountain 
railway enterprise in existence," and 
says "the engineering prohlems 
have heen solved in a manner to 
cliallenge our admiration." 

This Inidine extends from Rubio 
Pavilion, 2, "200 feet ahove the sea, 
to the summit of Echo Mountain, 
;],oOl) feet in altitude. It is up- 
wards of ;>,000 feet in lengtli, and 
makes a direct ascent of ahout 1,.">00 
feet. 

The cars are permanently at- 
tached to an endless cai)le, and are 
so balanced, that in ascending and 
d(^-cending, they pass each other at 
an automatic turnout, exactly mid- 
way on the Incdine. 

The cal)le is of the finest steel 
and was thoroughly tested to a 
strain of one hundred tons, and, as 
untler any circumstances the loaded 
cars will never exceed five tons, its 
alisolute safety is at once apparent. 

The view, in ascending, is inde- 
scribably grand. The motion is 
smooth and easy as if soaring to 
the clouds on the wings of an eagle. 
Almost noiselessly the car glides 
upwards, and nothing distracts the 
attention of passengers froni the 
picturesque sweetness and serene 
majesty of the scene. 

At first, the mountains compos- 
ing Ruliio Amphitheater appear to 
rise with the car, and yet the view 
enlarges every moment. Passing 
through (Iranite (lortre. — an im- 



mense cut in the mountain slojie, 
where all the workmen who could 
possibly be crowded upon the mass 
were engaged for eight long months 
before a single tie c(»uld be laid, — 
over the Macpherson Trestle, — an 
immense l)ridge, 100 feet higher 
at one end than the other —the San 
(labriel Valley begins to unfold its 
incomparable charms, and, as the 
elevation grows higher, the view 
expands and enlarges, until, on 
reaching the summit of Echo Moun- 
tain, and standing on one of the 
verandas of Echo Mountain House, 
the whole scene is prese ited in its 
full glory, to the entrar.c'ng delight 
of all who behold it. 

As visitors ride uj) this (ireat 
In(dine, how few of them dream of 
the arduous labor it represents. 
Not only were the ordinary diffi- 
culties of railroad building to over- 
come. l)Ut the grade was such, that 
l)urros had to carry cement and 
water for building the walls and 
l)Uttresses, which, in places, were 
necessarv, ere the track could be 
laid, and, as there were many points 
where not even burros could climb 
in safety, men carried the recpiired 
materials on their shoulders. It 
will be apparent, therefore, to tlie 
least initiated, how much labor and 
cost were expended in its construc- 
tion, and yet, up to the time of lay- 
ing the last rail it was the money, 
energy and engineering skill of one 
man who accomplished it, whcTi the 
great majority, with less foresight 
and courage, regarde(l the under- 
t^'kii'g as well nigh imi)()ssible. 




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MOUNT LOWE RAILWAY. 



Cranite Gorge, flacpherson Trestle, 

Tlic tMigraviiiu: on the oi!|)()sitc', 
:iiul tliDse oil llic two following 
{);iges. illustr.itc respectively two 
Fcenes on the (ii-cat Calile incline, 
an 1 one of the daily oecurrenecs 
• luring the latter part of its con- 
struction. Soon after leaving Hot<'l 
Ivnhio the ''White Chariot " enters 
(iraiiite Ciorge, a ev.t throngh tlie 
solid mountain slojie so dilllenlt to 
unilertakeas to reijuire the lahor of 
all the men that could he placed 
upon it for eight months hefore a 
single tie or rail could he laid. The 
grade of the Lieline heing so steep 
the work conld only he accom- 
plished at the njjper end, the dehris 
heing carried out backwards and 
dumped into the canyon helow. 
This Gorge affords a most interest- 
ing study in "folding" to tlie geo- 
logist, and when its lesson is read a 
key is given to the history of the 
whole range. 

Passing through Ciranite (lorge 
the rumbling of the car wheels de- 
notes that we are on a trestle bridge. 

The great trestle on the line of 
the White Mountain Railroad re- 
ceived the name of " Frankenstein " 
in honor of the engineer of the road, 
and Professor Lowe deemed it ap- 
proi)riate to name this far more 
im})ortant bridge the " Macpherson 
trestle," in honor of the indefatiga- 
ble labors and engineering skill of 
his chief engineer. It is a singular 
structure, and, if placed on level 
ground would not oidy excite won- 
der and amazement, but curiosity 
as to where it could possil)ly l)e 
used, for, in its length of a little 
over 200 feet it makes an ascent of 
over 100 feet, and the unitjue a])- 
])ea ranee of a bridge a hundred feet 
liigher at one end than the other 
can better le imagined than d«'- 



and Loading the Ccnstruction Car 

scrilx'd. The Construction Car 
which is being loaded with supplies, 
is represented in this engraving, 
conv.ying a load of lumlx^r to the 
summit of Echo .Mountain for 
building purposes. 

In Ihi^ coimectiou let me answer 
viz.; '■ I low did you get the ("aide 
and all t he ()j;erating Machinery of 
the I iicline in place? " 

When the grading of the Incline 
was eom];leted, supports, on which 
were wheels, '.vere fastened into the 
mountain on the side of the road- 
btnl. At the sanu' time, the great 
windlass, which was made in sec- 
tions below, together with a heavy 
manilla rope, were packed on burros 
to the summit of hvcho Mountain. 
As soon as the windlass was in 
place, the ro])e was securely fas- 
tened to it and let down over the 
wheels to the bottom of the Incline, 
where the ends of the rope and the 
steel construction cable were Mrndy 
united. The horses attached to the 
hoisting ap[)aratus were then set in 
motion, and, as the drum revolved 
the cable was drawn up. This was 
of sufficient strength for all the 
purposes of construction, and for 
hauling up the vast amount of ma- 
chinery necessary for working the 
monster passenger cable, and, tin- 
ally, this latter cable itself. 

As soon as this great cable was 
in position, one of the passenger 
cars was attached to it, and with 
the powerful electric n.otor now 
used in oi)erating this cable, was 
drawn to the sunnnit when the 
second car was attached at the 
bottom and everything was ready 
for the conveyance of passengers. 
An illustration on a subseciuent 
page shows the macb.inery used 
durintr construction. 




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Loadinj!^ Construction Car at the Foot of Great Cable Incline, 




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MOINT ]A)\\K KAILWAV 



White Chariot and Echo Mountain Chalet. 



Tlie grade of the Creat Cable 
Incline l)egins at BO per cent. After 
passing the turnout it is ()2 per 
cent, for (juite a distance, then it 
makes two '•l)uckles," one to oS ])er 
cent., and on nearing the summit to 
•4S per cent. 

The engravinjT shows one of tlie 
"White Chariots" -as the IncHne 
Cars have not inappropriately 1)een 
named, — on the 4<S jier cent, gradc^ 
with the Chalet on Echo Mountain 
above in the background. 1 he cars 
are so arranged as to keep i)assen- 
gers always on the level, regardless 
of the ste'ej) grades of the Incline. 
They are uncovered so as to a fiord 
a i)erfectly unobstructed view in 
every possilde direction, and. as a 
rule, the weather is so tine and pro- 
pitious that no inconvenience is 
experienced, as would l)e expected 
in a more rigorous clinnite. 

Echo Mountain gains its name 
from the uneiiualled echoes heard 
from the summit. Standing on the 
edge of P>ho Canyon, the tiring of 
a rifle, the lilowing of a bugle, 
shouting, or hallooing produces 
echoes, clear, distinct, and of long 
continuance. 

The Chalet is a romantically sit- 
uated hotel, perched on the slope of 
Echo Mountain and is as cosy and 
home-like a resting-place as can 
anywhere be found. But as a ho- 
tel it holds second place to the 
great Echo Mountain House, which, 
in its healthful conditions, its ar- 
tistic and pleasurable location, its 
unitiue and superb views surpasses 
any other hotel in the world. The 
passengers on the (Ireat Cable In- 
cline land directly on the veranda 
of this superb hotel. It has a 
doul)le frontage, South East and 
.North West, the two ])ortions meet- 
ing in a central hall which is sur- 
mt unted l)y an elegant dome, in 
turn overtopped by a flagstaff from 
which the Stars and Stripes ever 
jtroudly tl(»at. 

Tiie climate of Echo Mountain is 
equable and delightful during the 



entire year. When clouds and f(jgs 
obstruct the vision and render resi- 
dence somewhat uncomfortable in 
tlie valley, the mountain is invari- 
ably batlied in sunshine, with a dry 
air pervading the atmosphere. One 
of the most Ijeautiful sights from 
Echo Mountain Ibnise is to see the 
fog or cloud, like a \vhite sea, hid- 
ing all but a few pinnacles and 
islands of the valley beneath, and, 
as the sun shines upon it, lighting 
it up into A fleecy brilliancy, and 
often disclosing all the colors of the 
rainbow, entirely different from any 
other earthly scene. 

The experience of several seasons 
has demonstrated that on Echo 
Mountain the air is warmer in 
winter and cooler in summer than 
in the valley lieneath, and no mat- 
ter how warm it may be in the val- 
ley, there is always a cool breeze 
on the verandas of Echo Mountain 
House. Thus it will be noticed by 
those who desire an equable clim- 
ate, that here it can l)e obtained, 
for the variations of temperature 
are comparatively slight through- 
out the entire year. 

Here, overlooking the picturesque 
and beautiful San Gabriel and Los 
Angeles valleys, with their numer- 
ous villages, towns, and cities, the 
long stretcb of gray beach, the 
placid ocean and its numerous 
islands, the whole scene surrounded 
l)y virgin- white mountain peaks, 
soothed by the refreshing snow- 
kissed zephyrs, one may while the 
happy hours away in delicious 
languor and restoring rest fulness. 

The sunrises and sunsets as 
viewed from Echo Mountain are as 
g()rget)usly l)eautiful as at those 
places rendered famous l)y brilliant 
and rhetorical verse. The visitor* 
should invariably stay over night 
at P^cho Mountain to enjoy these 
surpassingly glorious scenes. 



MOUNT LOWE RAILWAY. 
LOWE OBSERVATORY. 



As is well known Professor Low^e 
has always kept in view his pledge, 
long-ago made, to build and equip 
an astronomical observatory on the 
Sierra Madre mountains that would 
he second to no observatory in the 
world, in offering facilities to the 
astronomer for the performance of 
good work. In accordance witli 
that pledge the temporary observa- 
tory is now erected on Echo Moun- 
tain. The engraving below is not 
a representation of the Echo Moun- 



strument witli whieh he is now 
searching the heavens is a l()-inch 
refractor, made, in his best days by 
Alvan ('lark, the veteran lens- 
maker of Cambridgeport, Mass., and 
it is, according to the maker's tes- 
timony, the best glass he ever made 
of its size. At the close of the 
summer it is confidently anticipated 
that the remaining section of the 
Mount Lowe Railway to the sum- 
mit of Mount Lowe will be com- 
pleted, and tlien the large o74-inch 



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tain Observatory but serves to show, 
somewhat, the style of one of the 
buildings on the Summit of Mount 
Lowe when the completed Observa- 
tory plan of Professor Lowe is car- 
ried out. 

Dr. Lewis Swnft, formerly of the 
Warner Observatory of Rochester, 
^". Y., the eminent astronomer — the 
"indefatigable comet-seeker" as his 
brother astronomers term him, has 
charge of the observatory. The in- 



reflecting telescope for photogra])hic 
work, together with three other tel- 
escopes, will be erected on the liigh- 
est crest of the Monarch of the 
Sierra INLidre range, and thus an 
astronomical observatory founded, 
2000 feet higher than the Lick Ob- 
servatory, in a climate much super- 
ior to that possessed by >b)unt 
Hamiltt)!!, and with a survey of a 
portion of the Stellar zone as yet 
uncx})lored. 




Ground and Interior Plan of the Observatory for the 37'^. inch Reflecting Telescope 
to be placed on Mount Lowe. 




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Operatinj»; Machinery of 

Like so iimny otlier tlun}i;s in 
('()iu\ectiiin with the Mount Ijovvc 
Railway, the machinery is uni(HU' 
and unlike anytliinji ever l^efore 
{'t)nstru('ted. 'I'he power is <j;(iier- 
ated by two methods, viz.: 1. Ily 
■water wheels and dynamos sitr.ated 
at Hotel l{uhio, the watt'r Howinij; 
throujzh ]ii|)es from the resc^rvoir on 
Keho Mountain, (\,-hieh is supjjlied 
tVom a still higher level), and, 2. 
hy immense gas engines and dy- 
namos at Altadena .Junction, whei'c 
the power house is situated. 

Tliese gas I'ligines are used to 
8U])plemeiit the water power, should 
there be a dry season, and they, 
solely, for the first nine months, 
were used for operatiiig the Electric 
and {)al)le IncliiK? Cars, and carry- 
ing the large number of j)assengers 
who have jtatronized the road. 

In either case the electric power 
is transmitted by large copper con- 
ductors to the Echo Mountain 
])ower house, supplying current to 
the 100 horse power electric motor, 
which makes SOO revolutions per 
minute. Then by a series of gears 
the revolutions are reduced from 
<S00 to 17 per minute, which is the 
speed at which the massive grip- 
sheave turns. The grip-sheave con- 
sists of a tremendously heavy wheel, 
on which about 70 automatic steel 
jaws are affixed. As the whetd re- 
volves, these jaws close and grip 
the endless cal)Ie, to which ihe cars 
arc ])ermanently attached, and thus 
are tlu'V raised or lowered as occa- 
sion requires. l>y this method 
tliere is practically no wear what- 
<n'er on the cable. It is not strained 
and chafed by the constant opera- 
tion of gripping as on the Sti'cet 
Railwav Cars where the inertia of 



the Great Cable Incline. 

t rains of cai's of many tinis' wciglit 
has to be overciome by the grip|»ing 
of th(^ ever moving cable. 

Every safety device and ap|)li- 
ance of known utility that could be 
here used lias been placed upon the 
machinery and thorougldy tested, 
so that the unanimous verdict of 
the nuiny eminent (engineers who 
have scientitically examined in de- 
tail the machinery and its working 
is a deserved tril)ute to the fore- 
sight of Prof. Lowe and his engi- 
neers. That verdict is, that "it is 
the safest railroad ever constructed; 
the ])ossibilty of accident is reduced 
to a lower minimum than on any 
cable, electric, or steam system in 
the world." 

Standing on the Hotel veranda 
or at the power house on Echo Moun- 
tain one can look directly down 
upon the electric cars leaving Alta- 
dena Junction on their way to 
Rubio Canyon. One portion of Lake 
Avenue, up which they pass, is the 
steeliest part of the whole electric 
trolley system, having a grade of 
8^ per cent., whilst in no other por- 
tion of the line, even that already 
surveyed and now being graded 
from Echo Mountain to the summit 
of Mount Lowe, does it exceed 74 
per cent. 

The use of water in generating 
l)ower for the whole of the INIount 
Lowe Railway system is a great 
desideratum, for it reduces the ex- 
])enses of operation to the lowest 
possil)le minimum. 

By means of reservoirs already 
constructed, a sufficiency of water 
can be stored for all practical y)ur- 
])oses, and these reservoirs being at 
different elevations allow the same 
water to be us(m1 again and again in 
the generation of jjower. 



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On Bridle Road in Castle Canyon, on the "Hount Lowe Eight." 






MOINT LOWK KAll.WAV. 



On the "Mount l.owe Eight." 



To ride on well constructed hridlc 
roiids u]i niouiitaiii sIojk'S, winding 
in and out on diversified paths, 
througli and hy bowers of fragrant 
trees, sln-ubs and llowers, looking 
II}) through towering ])ines to ma- 
jestic clitTs and ))onderous rocks, 
h)oking (hnru into tlic depths of 
vast canyons, wliere deer find shady 
coverts, and looking ouf upon 
scenes of perfect beauty and sub- 
limity — these things fill the l)ody 
with vigor and buoyant enthusiasm, 
and the mind with lasting ])icturcs 
of increasing interest. 

Realizi'ig this, Professor Lowe 
has had constructed more than 
tliirty miles of wide and easy- 
graded bridle roads radiating from 
Echo Mountain to all the higher 
peaks and summits of the range. 
The most important sections of tliese 
roads are known as the " Mount 
Lowe Eight," for, in making the 
complete ride to the summit of 
Mount Lowe from Echo Mountain 
and return, the figure "eight" is 
described, the rider only crossing 
his own path in one place, and no- 
where else riding twice on the same 
road. These roads were carefully 
constructed so as to include all the 
scenic portions of the mountains, 
and also to afi'ord the grandest out- 
looks upon the valleys and more 
distant scenery. They also lead to 
the points and summits selected as 
the sites of the two Observatories, — 
astronomical and meteorological, — 
soon to be established. 

A large corral is located on p]cho 
Mountain, in which horses, mules 
and liurros are kept for the use of 



visitors — whetber ladies, gentlemen 
or chibh'en — who desii'e to make 
this trip. It is a perfectly easy 
trip for anyone to make, even ladies 
and children having gone un- 
attended to the summit of Mount 
Lowe and return with comfort and 
safety. 

Com])etent guides are always to 
l)e had on Ecdio Mountain. 

The ride over the " Mount Lowc^ 
Eight" includes (Jastle C'anyon, so 
named because of the rows of rocks 
which line its sides, reseml)ling 
castles, towers, pagodas, minarets 
and temples, —Mount Lowe Sa(hlle, 
a ridge connecting the front and 
rear ranges, \^here all the bridle, 
electric, and sleighing roads unite, 
— Grand Basin, a vast wide-spread- 
ing, rocky, tree-clad area of thous- 
ands of acres, (with a mountain 
over '2000 feet high, uj)on the sum- 
mit of which the visitor on ]\Iount 
Lowe can look down several thous- 
and feet), eml)raced in its wide- 
spreading reach, — Great Bear Can- 
yon, rocky, precipitous, thrilling 
:>000 feet or more in de})th and yet 
so lined with trees as to be a per- 
fect bower of beauty, — Sunset Point, 
where the last rays of the setting 
sun caressingly linger each day, — 
and Los Flores and Millard Can- 
yons. Such a mountain ride as 
this the world nowhere else affords. 

Geologically it is inten^sting be- 
yond measure, for, such have been 
the changes in this range in the 
])ast centuries, that strata, over- 
turned, twisted, curved and tilted 
in every conceival)le way, arc 
opened u;» for fullest itisoi^ctioii. 




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:\I()\'NT l.()\\K IJAll.W AV. 



FROn ORANGE GROVES AND ROSES TO SNOW, on the Line of the 

Mount Lowe Railway. 



It was a «ilori(nis March morning 
in the Year of (irace ISOM whvu thf 
acconipaMyutg party of ladies and 
gentlemen met in one of the tlowcr 
embowered spots of the San (iahriel 
X'aHey. The ladies wore eostnmes, 
whicli, in their light airiness, sng- 
gested nndsummer. Tlu; day was 
like most of tlie Spring days in 
Pasadena, with llowers in endless 
variety l)looniing on every liand. 
Hnmming-birds in restless activity 
were darting to and fro, sipjting tlie 
hidden sweets of tlie lh)wers. The 
mocking birds were imitating the 
sweet songs of the lark and thrush. 
The heavens bent smilingly down, 
and ilie breezes were soft and 
balm3^ No spring scene in fair 
Normandy could have l»een more 
perfect than the one they gazed 
vipon. They plucked roses of many 
kinds, enjoyed the arbor of delicate 
heliotrope which never ceases bloom- 
ing, and reveled in odors, sights 
and sounds generally attril»uted 
only to "Arabythe Blest" or the 
Vale of Cashmere. 

The gentlemen then pointed to 
the Sierra Madre mountains and 
informed their com])an!ons tliat 
they were about to make a trip u|) 
to the snow. The ladies, familial- 
with f-now in the East, lauglied at 
the idea of their cavaliers being in 
snow-drifts within an hour's time, 
and one of them, })ointing to the 
sunshine, birds, flowers, humming 
birds and butterllies, was a perfect 
"doubting Thomas" and laughed 
at the idea. 

Knowing well, however, what 
was liefore th(>m, the gentlemen 
started for the mountains with an 



outfit including plenty of wrai)S, 
overcoats, and other (•(•mforts, and 
yet, even to them it did not seem 
possible that snow of such dejith to 
any extent could be so near. 

At tlie time of their triji the 
electric cars were not running from 
Altadena Junction so they rode 
horseback, the })hotographer accom- 
panying them in order to jtreserve 
a pictorial record of their adven- 
tures. 

Reaching Rul)io ('any(m thev 
took their seats in the construction 
cars of the ( Jreat Cable Incline, and, 
as they ascended, they gazed n])on 
the rich panorama of the San (Jab- 
riel Valley, resplendent in the fresh 
glory of its S{)riiig rol)es, when, 
suddenl}^ as they were jfrojected 
over the "buckle" from the 58 per 
cent, to the 4S per cent, grade of 
the Incline, they found themselves 
in a realm of clouds, snow and 
vapor. Clouds l)efore, — clouds be- 
hind, — clouds above, — clouds l)elow, 
— clouds all around. For sometime 
they watched the changing cloud- 
scenes. Like a well disciplined 
army the vaporous masses seemed 
to be ever marshalling themselves 
afresh, and jttst as the camera was 
in position, they o])ened, and re- 
vealed to the entranced s})ectators 
a portion of the valley lielow l)atlied 
in sweetest sunshine. 

After partaking of refreshments 
on Echo Mountain, where several 
inches of snow had fallen, they 
rode up Castle Canyon, the snow 
getting deeper as they ascended, 
until they crossed over the Mount 
Lowe Saddle, and stood at the head 
of (trand Canyon. The acconi- 



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panving euf^ravings fjive hut a faint 
coinpiclu'iision oftlie glorious scene 
presented to tlieni. To the left, 
piney, firs, balsams, sycamores, 
maples, oaks and other trees were 
laden with snow, and stoo(l silent, 
solenui, aw'e-ins])irinfj;. 

On the other side the scene was 
eidivened hy the presence of the 
party ridinjz; forward on the grade 
of the railroad, which here l)egins 
to wind around the slojx's of Mount 
Lowe. 

Reaching Crystal .S})rings, tired 
though they were, — they improvised 
a toboggan, and dashed for several 
hundred yards down a natural to- 
boggan slide, until a line of im- 
mense pines debarred farther pro- 
gress. 

After indulging in other winter 
s])orts they retired to rest in the 
log-cabin of the w'orkmen. Hut 
when they arose on the morning of 
March ^), the snow had fallen so 
vigorously, though silently, that 
the cabin was half buried, and all 
eyes were compelled to engage in a 
search for the bridle-road u])on 
which they had ridden but a few 
hours before. 

The trees were now heavily laden, 
and stood, with bowed branches, 
silent as soldiers with ground(Ml 
arms. The }>arty felt, however, 
that an attempt must be made to 
reach the summit of Mount Lowe, 
so, once again on their mules, they 
plodded forward. Here and there 
the over-hanging trees had sheltered 
the bridle-road, but everywhere 
else it was buried deep, and travel- 
ing l)ecame more ditiicult.. 

Jason Brown — the son of the hero 



of Harper's Ferry, and who was 
then emjdoyed by Professor Lowe 
on Im'Iio .^b)untain strode nian- 
fuily on, until, at last, the advance 
guard of tlu; party came to a num- 
ber of trees, wliich the weight of 
the snow had so bent over as to 
render further progress impossible, 
unless a way was cut through with 
axes. 

As they had none of these 
wea])ons, they hei<l a consultation. 

The mules unanimously coun- 
selled retreat, — the Kansas hero 
was for going forward, -the rest 
knew not what to do, and so, there, 
far above the clouds, debating as to 
whether they should })roceed or 
return, — ''Snow-bound in the Sierra 
>Lidre Switzerland," — we. for tlie 
time being, leave them. 

It must not be imagined, how- 
ever, from this brief sketch, that 
deep snow often falls on the Sierra 
iALadre Mountains. Two or three 
times in a year, perhaps, it may 
thus fall, but such are the peculiar 
climatic conditions, that on the 
North side of the range the snow 
will remain for from four to six 
weeks after but one fall. 

Therefore, it is reasonable to sup- 
pose, that now the Minint Lowe 
Railway is in daily o})eration to 
the summit of Echo >b»untain, the 
Company will be enal)led to offer 
to its patrons during the winter 
months many opi)ortunities to take 
the delightful and novel ride ''From 
Orange Groves and Roses to Snow." 




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